The Next Scene: Longing for Heaven

So much of what we imagine about heaven will likely be off the mark. The things that weigh so heavily on us now on earth will pale in comparison to the glory of heaven, and far more, to the glory of our Savior, Jesus Christ. Paul reminds us in 1 Corinthians 2:9, “But, as it is written, What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him.”

Yet, in the middle of ministry, recent losses of friends and family, and the weariness that comes with both, my mind drifts to small thought experiments about heaven and eternity with Jesus. I know the following thoughts aren’t Scripture. They’re not doctrine or detailed theology. But they help me pause and think about how I live, how I serve, what I do, and what matters most in light of eternity.

And transparently, this writing may be my way of processing and grieving. It is because of these events that I think about what the “next scenes” are after the “Well done, good and faithful servant” that we read out in Matthew 25. Maybe you’ve found yourself doing the same after a season of loss. If so, I hope this will encourage you.

Here are those “next scene” pictures that keep rolling through my mind.

The Room (People)

I call it simply, “The Room.” To imagine a scene in which God is leading me into a room filled with people. I recognize faces from every season of life. Then I’m told that every person there is someone who crossed my path on earth, and along the way, came to know Jesus.  For some, I was the encouragement, for others, they encouraged me, and for some, we were there for each other.  This is a room of joy and reunion with maybe some surprises along the way.

At that moment, I wonder: Who would I run toward first? (Who would you run to first? A family member? Friends? A person you lost a long time ago or someone more recent?)  

And perhaps more humbling: Who would run toward me?

This idea of The Room makes me consider how every encounter, every conversation, and every small act of faithfulness might echo into eternity. As the writer of Hebrews says in 12:1, “let us run the race that is before us.”

The Scene with God

Because God is a good Father, I wonder if He might not only tell us He’s proud of us, but “show” us. And while our minds may go to an iPad, tablet, or movie screen in today’s culture, what if God could just re-show us the moment?

Even though Scripture is clear that our righteousness is like filthy rags (Isaiah 64:6), it’s also true that the Lord rejoices over us (Zephaniah 3:17). I picture Him replaying a moment where I trusted Him, obeyed His Word, or encouraged someone in His name. Not as a record of merit, but as His rejoicing, a reminder of my purpose and an encouragement of His delight.

And while I don’t know what that moment might be, I tend to be hard on myself. I can think of plenty of times when I feel like I let God down. For me, the idea of God showing me a moment or a small highlight reel feels like He is saying, “I love you, and I delight in your obedience.”

As a reader, allow me to ask, “What moment might God show you?”

The Why (purpose)

Many people, including me, have questions we imagine asking God in heaven: ‘Why did this happen? Or God, why did You allow that?”

But what if, instead of us asking, God simply began talking as we walked beside Him? What if He helps us see what was hidden? Or understand moments where His hand was guiding, protecting, or even working through suffering we never understood at the time?  What if we understood (better than we do now) when He said, “This was My Will.” 

In my imagination, I can hear God say, “Remember that hard season…you didn’t see it, but here’s what I was doing…” The comfort and peace of hearing that would be immense.

I can imagine Him almost retelling our life, filling in the gaps, uncovering what we missed, and showing how His wisdom, power, grace, and love held every thread together.

Bonus: The Sermon (or the Scene with God – part 2)

As a pastor, I often step down from the pulpit with a voice in my head that says, “I could have done that better,” or “I should have explained that point more clearly,” or some other self-criticism that could be inserted here.

Very rarely do I leave the pulpit feeling like I got it “right.”. But in these imagined ‘next scenes,’ I picture God replaying one of my sermons. It may not be the most polished or the longest, but the one where I was faithful, prepared, and sensitive to the Spirit. And at that moment, to hear Him say, “Well done.”

I think that scene could just as easily apply to anyone. For you, it might not be a sermon at all. Maybe it’s your life’s work, a quiet prayer, a word of encouragement, or a faithful act of service no one else saw. And perhaps God will replay it. Not to flatter us, but to remind us: “That mattered.”

I can’t imagine a greater pinnacle than to have the Lord Himself replay a moment of faithfulness and say, “Well done, good and faithful servant.”

Pastor Mark’s Conclusion

I know these “next scene” reflections aren’t theology, and this writing does not intend to be a Scripture study. However, these ideas stir my heart to long for heaven. They remind me, and maybe remind you too, that what we do matters. Every prayer, every conversation, every small act of faithfulness can be used by God to encourage, to bring truth, and to display a strength the world doesn’t understand.

And in the end, eternity will be spent worshiping God and enjoying Him forever…Amen.